


Reaching Out

by Bitsy_Sprinkles



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-18 20:57:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12396081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitsy_Sprinkles/pseuds/Bitsy_Sprinkles
Summary: When Lucifer reaches out into a woman's dreams, he causes some major problems.I suck at summaries. Read and enjoy.Ignores and negates basically anything after season 7.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ashby_Rhymer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashby_Rhymer/gifts).



> This is my first published fic ever. Thoughts/comments are appreciated.  
> I'm honestly so proud of it, i hope you enjoy it.

_**Reaching Out** _

_Chapter One: Reaching Out To You_

Three months. It’s been three months since these dreams started. I barely sleep anymore, and when I do… He is there. I’m not sure who _he_  is exactly, but he haunts my every sleeping moment. His eyes, his smile, his laugh. They say that your brain is incapable of creating a new person while you sleep, so I must have seen him before, right? But I don’t remember. I can’t remember. I wish I could, maybe then I could find him and tell him to stop tormenting me. But was it torment? In my dreams, he’s always just sitting there looking at me, like he’s waiting. For what? He hardly speaks to me, at least with his voice. Most of the communication is nonverbal, telepathic even. Pfft, telepathy. That’s funny. 

I look at the clock. 3:13. I have work in the morning. I need to SLEEP! I roll over with a huff and pull the blankets over my head, willing myself back to unconsciousness. Please don’t be there. Please don’t be there. Please don’t… 

I wake up with my alarm blaring. 8:30. And I slept well. For some reason, the words “I’m sorry” linger in the back of my mind. I go through my day at the diner on autopilot. More coffee, more biscuits, refill, ketchup. By the end of the day I’m exhausted both mentally and physically. Nothing a long soak in a hot bath can’t fix. _And maybe a strong drink._

Thirty minutes later I settle into the suds and warmth, letting my body and mind relax in the dim room, sipping at my whiskey as I let my mind slip into the blank bliss just before I lose consciousness. “Hey there!” I jolt awake at the sound of my glass smashing to the floor. What..? I frantically look around for the voice I had heard. Settle down. No one’s here. 

“Oh, but I am here.” I look in the direction of the voice. Oh God. No. Please. Now I’m sure that I'm hallucinating. 

"No. Not God, actually. Close, but no,” he laughs to himself. 

I don’t know why, but I’m not scared. Intrigued, yes. But fear is not one of my go-to emotions. More than anything, I’m annoyed. 

“What the fuck, dude? Can you not leave me the fuck alone for just one night?! I’ve barely slept in nearly a month, and you have the balls to keep showing up like some malevolent fucking dream fairy whose only goal is to drive me mad!”

“Dream fairy..? That’s a new one. And don’t get bitchy with me Miss Thing because you asked for it.” 

“I- What?” 

“Three months and two days ago during your double overnight at the diner. Bad holiday crowd. Blonde waitress is all ‘I’m pretty sure So-And-So is the Devil. Like she won’t even speak when I ask for help. Just glares and blah blah blah. To which you responded ‘I’m pretty sure the Devil is way nicer. I bet he’d actually talk back.’ Well guess what sweetheart? HERE I AM!” 

I stare at him, mouth agape. I had indeed had that conversation with Leslie during our last double together. “C'mon sweetcheeks, you’re gonna catch flies! You really didn’t expect me to ignore a challenge like that, did ya?” 

“You’re…?” 

“The Devil. Satan. Lucifer. Call me whatever you like… It’s. Me.” I burst into a fit of laughter. I can hardly breathe, tears cloud my eyes, and my head hurts. I’ve snapped.

After a good few minutes, I’m able to catch my breath and settle down. Staring at the ceiling, I try to speak and fail. This is too much. Another round of laughter, and then the realization hits. I’m talking to the Devil. How else can I explain it? There aren’t really any other options at this point. _Fine. I'll play_ _ball_. “Don’t worry though. I'm only in your head. And I must say, I like what I see there,” he said, overly dramatizing the last few words. He was reading my mind?! Ew. “I’d really appreciate it if you stayed out of my personal thoughts,” I say with a sneer. 

I look his way as he steps fully into what little light the closet bulb provides. I’ve only ever seen him vaguely in the dim light of my dreams, and I'm certain that I've never noticed his full appearance before. Tall, dark, dirty blond hair, blue eyes, sly smile… _What happened to his face?_ There were small marks, _burns?_ , all over the side of his face. 

“My vessel couldn’t properly handle my power. I literally burned him from the inside. Nick, poor bastard never stood a chance. Had to drink a shit load of demon blood just to keep him looking this good. Eventually though, I’ll get my real vessel.” He let out a sigh. Demon blood? Vessels? What? You scanned him up and down, assessing his threat level. _He’s the fucking Devil, dumbass._

“Aww, don’t say that about yourself, sweetheart. I gotta give you credit, most people would have cried by now.” 

“I guess that's a compliment. But I would really appreciate it if you left now. All I want is to sleep well for once. Please?” 

“Well since you asked so nicely… “ And he was gone. Well that was easy. 

That night I dream of him again, but this time it's different. There is no talking, no tormenting, no dark and cold room. Just him sitting over me while I sleep peacefully, dreaming of nothing but him. 

The next morning I wake refreshed, laying in bed until I slowly start to drift off again when, “Morning.” _No. Absolutely no. N. O._  

"Sleep well? I hope you did. Actually I know you did because I made sure you did. You're welcome.”

I roll my eyes and heave myself upright, glaring at him. “What the fuck do you want?”

He sits there in silence, rolling my question over in his mind. Finally he looks at me with a small, sad smile on his face. “Company.” 

That isn’t the answer I’m expecting. “I’m sorry, _what_?” 

"I want company. It’s terribly lonely sitting in a cage all day long while you wait around for your family to finally miss you. I noticed a small crack, miniscule really, in the warding of the Cage and am using what little power I have left to project myself out. I have no power out here, not like this. Even the way you see me is an illusion. I’m still physically in Hell. Left there by my family to rot away for eternity.” 

"Oh,” I barely hear myself say it. “I’m sorry.” I can tell he’s getting upset. His hands are clenched into fists, eyes staring straight ahead, face red. _He’s lonely…_  

"Do you know why I was cast out? The real story?” I shake my head. “Because I loved my Father too much. I loved him more than anyone else did. My brothers and sisters could never comprehend how much I loved Father. Not even Father could. Then he made you, dirty little humans. He was so proud of his hairless apes that could talk. He ordered us to bow to you. To love you. To love you more than we loved him. I tried. And I couldn’t. I told him, but he insisted. I told him ‘no Father, I can’t love anyone more than you' and he cast me out of heaven. Alone. Without Him. Without my brothers and sisters. He told them I was evil. I’m not evil.” 

… _And hurting_. “What about all th-“ “Yes! I have done some bad shit, ok? But I wanted Father to pay attention to me again! To notice me! To give me another chance…” He trails off, clearly in pain, eyes are filling with tears that threaten to fall. Without warning, or thinking, I reach over and pull him into a hug. He tenses, unsure of the contact. 

“That’s a pretty good illusion.” I pull away and smile at him, trying to turn the mood. “But an illusion none the less. One that’s fading. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep it up.” He seemed saddened by that thought even more. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have burdened you with all this. Despite what I said before, you didn’t ask for this. I should have just left you alone.” 

I’m stunned. This is _Satan_. And he’s _apologizing_ to me? “I’ll let you get on with you day. Goodbye.” He stands, eyes still sad, and heads for the door. I watch him leave, unsure if I want him to go… 

“Wait!” He looks back, confused. “Am I gonna see you again?” His eyes change, from sad to hopeful, but only for a second. 

He gives me a small, trying smile, “Probably not. I’ve interfered with your time enough. I really am sorry.” He turns away again and with a blink, he’s gone. 

I sit there for a long while, thinking about him and his story. If it is true, then I really feel sorry for him. To be tossed aside by your own family is a terrible thing, and to be labeled evil and destructive by the same person who is supposed to love and protect you is even worse. I can’t imagine how alone he must feel, how alone he actually is. 

I push the sadness from my thoughts and decide right then to help him, if I can. 

_**Meanwhile… In the lonely depths of Hell…** _

_Lucifer sits alone in the dark coldness of the Cage. His energy drained from a prolonged visit topside. She had been so kind to him, he almost felt bad for disturbing her all those nights ago. But now he was happy that he did. Her small act of compassion would keep him going however long he needed it to._

_Lucifer sits alone in the corner of his prison. He closes his eyes and wills sleep to come and take him into the void. But it won’t. A taste of my own medicine I suppose._

_Lucifer sits alone in his own personal Hell. But instead of dreading the loneliness, he holds on to the memory of her kind embrace._


	2. Sleepless In Seattle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's determined to get him out...

**_Chapter Two: Sleepless In Seattle_ **

I'm not sure how I'm going to help him, but I am. _How does one go about helping the Devil himself escape a cage in Hell?_ I'm still trying to figure that out, too. But I'm determined.

It’s been another three weeks since I’ve last seen him in my dreams. It’s strange, but I miss him. The weight of knowing you are the only positive thing in someone else’s existence is a heavy burden. I’ve not slept, but for different reasons now.

I’ve tried researching what little is available, but Google has been no help. Finally I settle on a summoning spell. It seemed simple enough. But when a demon fails to appear to grant my every wish… Needless to say, I’m disappointed.

The local library offers nothing of value either. I wander the stacks aimlessly searching for anything that can give me what I need. I skim through the section dubbed “supernatural” and stumble across a book series of the same name by an author named Carver Edlund. _Route 666? Nightmare? No_ _Rest For The Wicked? Wow, this writer has_ _zero imagination_. I put them down and continue my quest.

I spend every waking second I can trying to find a way to free him. _Free Satan_. That sounds awful. There’s nowhere I can go, no one to turn to for help. _Hey! Think you can help me get the Devil himself outta Hell?_ Some days I think I should quit. Others I know I need to help him.

Though he’s not in my dreams, I still dream of him. But now it's my own brain putting him there in my thoughts. I see him the same way I always have, but now I see the sadness. Six weeks after I last saw him, and it feels like an eternity. A person I’ve barely spoken to shouldn’t have such a hold on my emotions, but he does.

I stare at the faint outline around my window, wondering how dark it must be where he is. And I cry.

_A warm embrace. A smile that reaches his eyes. Oh how they sparkle when he’s happy. His face is different. Healed. I never noticed how handsome he is? How? He pulls me close, face buried in my hair. “Thank you.” For what? “Helping me. Being kind to me.” You don’t have to thank me. “I owe you for bringing light back into my dark Cage. You showed me compassion when even my own family has abandoned me” You don't owe me a thing. “Oh but I do. So much. How can I ever repay you? Tell me your heart’s every wish and I swear it will be yours.”_

_He smiles down at me, the promise heavy in the air. I don’t know what I want. I’ve never imagined having everything. “Then may I thank you in my own way?” I guess..? He gently places his forehead against mine, staring down at me. His hands find mine, our fingers entwined with one another. He brings my hand up and places a kiss over my knuckles. “Thank you. So very much.”_

The next two weeks are filled with more of the same. Work, read, search, sleep, dream of him. Over and over again. Some days I eat, some I don’t. I don’t have time.

Something is happening, I can feel it. There’s a shift I can’t quite recognize. It’s slight, but there. I collapse into bed after another endless day of working. My body, my mind, can’t keep this up much longer. I’m drowning and there’s nowhere to swim for help. I finally force myself to sleep, and there, in my dreams, he waits.

_I've missed you. “Me? I'm the Devil. Why would you do something stupid like miss me?” I don’t know. I shouldn’t, but I do._

_There’s something happening, isn’t there? I can feel it. I’m scared of it. “Don’t be. I owe you. I promise you nothing will hurt you.” I believe you. I shouldn’t. but I do._

_His hand finds my cheek, and I turn into his touch. He leans in, I meet him. I shouldn’t… But I do._

I wake with a start, like when you dream of falling. My heart is racing, my body is hot, and my head is pounding. _What the fuck is_ _happening?_ The room spins, and I can’t catch my balance. I try to stand, to make it to the bathroom before I get sick. I don’t and lose what little dinner I had that night. I stand again, blood rushing in my ears. And then I black out.

When I wake, I'm no longer on the floor, but in my bed. _How..?_ That’s when I notice someone in the corner of my room.

“The Boss said to make sure you were alright. He was worried about you,” a woman’s voice comes from the shadows.

_What?_ “Don’t worry, he said to keep you safe. There’s a few markings over here that have a small scratch. When I leave just fix it, and your house will be protected.” When I blinked, the woman, _a demon?_ , was gone. She had changed my clothes and cleaned up the mess. I’ll have to thank her next time I see her.

I set about getting ready to spend my day on the never ending journey I had started two months ago. I’m going to get him out if it kills me. _Finally!_ A small footnote in and obscure text buried on a demonologist website in the far flung reaches of the internet.

The 66 Seals. That's how I get him out. But how do I even begin? How does one go about jail breaking the Devil out of his prison in Hell?

Little did I know that hundreds of miles away in a small town in Kansas, someone was taking care of that for me.

**_Hell…_ **

_Lucifer sits alone in his cage, holding his tears at bay. Time moves differently here. A month is ten years. It’s been twice that long since he’s seen her._

_Lucifer sits alone in his dark corner of Hell, with nothing but the faint memories of her warm embrace to keep him sane._

_Lucifer sits alone against the rusting bars, wishing, praying, for a way to return to her. And for once in his miserable existence…_

_His prayers are answered._


	3. Sympathy For The Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer is free. There's danger all around. Angels are dicks. Winchesters save the day. Kinda.

**_Chapter Three: Sympathy For The Devil_ **

Strange things have been happening lately. _He's free_. I haven’t seen him, but I know. The Devil is walking the Earth. And I couldn’t be happier. I'm constantly on edge, constantly watching and looking for him. But I never see him. What I do see is people watching me. Lots of them. Staring, most times without moving. Some watch with black eyes only to blink them back to normal. _Demons_. They're here to protect me, I can feel it.  _From what?_

That answer comes a few days later. I’m walking home from the store, trying to beat the rain. Two men follow me for three blocks, but when I look back at them, they’re gone. I turn to finish running home, I instead crash into one of my pursuers. He grabs me by the arms, holding me in place. His grip is a vice that I can’t shake, and it burns. His eyes flash with an intense light, and I know… _Angels_. The Prince of Hell is free, and somehow they know he will come for me.

"Don’t fight. Don’t scream. We need you,” the taller of the two says. “If we have you, he will come to us.”

He shoves me into the alleyway with too much force. I hit the ground hard, hands and knees digging into the pavement.

"Be careful with her, Esper! Naomi wants her alive.” The other angel tries to move past this Esper.

"Quiet Bartholomew. She’ll be alive, just a little worse for wear.” He grabs me by the hair and throws me further into the alley. I hear Bartholomew scream at the offending Esper, my head hits a wall and the world goes dark.

I wake up to an unfamiliar smell. _Old leather, stale alcohol, exhaust fumes, and.. honey?_ A car. I open my eyes and see the faint light of dusk through the windows. At least I’m not in the trunk. Looking up, I see a concerned face with sad blue eyes. _The wrong blue eyes._

“She’s awake. Pull over, Dean.” The voice was just as sad as his face. I feel the car pull off the road. I hear doors open and close, hear the trunk open, feel it slammed shut a few moments later. I sit up and to my surprise I don’t hurt like I should.

“I healed you. I hope you don’t mind. Your head was bleeding very badly and I was worried you wouldn’t survive if I waited. My name is Castiel. I’m an a-“

"Angel. Yeah. I figured.”

“You are surprisingly calm considering everything that has happened.“

“Yeah well, I've got Lucifer on my side. I guess I shouldn’t really be afraid of anything.” _Lucifer_. That was the first time I had used his name. It was strange and kind of unnerving. I push my thoughts aside and focus on the task at hand. I pull myself from the car and lean against the door.

Two men stand near the hood talking in whispers. The angel, Castiel, joins me at my side.

"Sam. Dean. We need to tell her everything that’s happened.” The two men walk towards us, both looking on edge. The shorter of the two points at me.

"This the poor girl that Lucifer has the hots for?” He looks me over, and shakes his head.

“Something wrong with me, asshole?”

"No, I just feel bad for you.”

“Well don’t. I'm just fucking peachy keen.” The taller one steps in.

“Sorry about him, he's a dick. I'm Sam, that's my brother Dean. And you've been causing just as much of a problem as Lucifer.”

I stare at the brothers. “ _I’m_ a problem?”

“Yep,” Dean all but spits out. He shifts his weight to one side, folds his arms, and tilts his head to look down at me. “Because you're the dumbass who decided to start a relationship with frickin' LUCIFER!”

“Ex-fucking-scuse me?! Fuck you jackass.” I shove him with all the strength I can muster and knock him into the car. “I didn't _choose_ this. I didn't _ask_ for this. And I sure as fuck didn't _intentionally_ get myself on everyone’s shit list. You don't know what happened. You don't know everything. So you keep your bullshit judgements to yourself and I won't point out how you're definitely Angel Boy’s girlfriend.”

Dean stands there, shocked by my outburst. Cas just cocks his head in confusion, and Sam does his best to hide his laughter. At least he sees the ridiculousness of the whole situation. Cas opens his mouth to speak, but Dean shoots him a glare that could curdle milk. “Fucking don’t, Cas.”

“He is not my girlfrie-”

“Goddammit, Cas!”

“He's my boyfr-”

“Fucking hell. Castiel, stop.” By now, Sam is all but laying on the car trying to breathe. His giggle fest hits me as well and I join him in trying to catch my breath. Poor Cas just stands there with the most confounded look imaginable. He's pitiful, like a puppy that's been kicked into a gutter.

“Dean. I don't understand. I thought you were comfortable with our relationship. Has something changed that I need to be aware of?”

Dean let out a sigh,“No, Cas. Can we please get back to the actual problems at hand?!” They begin talking amongst themselves. Unfortunately, he's right. Lucifer is free, angels want to use me as bait…

“What do you want from me?” They all stop talking and look at me. Sam steps towards me and places a hand on my shoulder. “To protect you.” “From what, exactly?” “The angels? The demons? _Lucifer himself_?”

“But I'm not scared of Lucifer. You I'm not so sure about. I definitely don't trust the angels. And the demons were protecting me.”

"Yeah, until they weren't and Naomi's henchmen got ahold of you.” He had a point. Maybe some of them weren't so happy that the true ruler of Hell was free.

“Like I said before. I didn't ask for any of this. I made an offhand joke and here I am. The object of Lucifer's obsession.”

“No.” Cas took my hand. “You are so much more than that.”

I stare at him. “Say what?”

“You are far more than an obsession. You're his second chance.” Now it's the Wonder Twins' turn to stare. “What?!”

“Cas, what in the hell are you talking about? Lucifer doesn't get second chances. He gets dead.”

"No, Dean. He may have been jealous, envious, and rebellious, but he deserves another chance more than any of my brothers and sisters.” We all gawked at the angel and his words. Lucifer had told me his story, yes, but what the shit is Cas saying?!

“At first, my Father created the four Archangels. Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Lucifer. Lucifer was Father’s favorite. And Lucifer loved Father. More than any of us or any thing. But Father wasn’t alone. There was another. The Darkness. There was a war. The Archangels vanquished the Darkness, but at a very heavy price. To keep it locked away, a mark was created. Father gave that mark to Lucifer. It was made of Darkness to control Darkness. Millennia passed and Father created me and the rest of my brothers and sisters. Then he created you. The humans. He titled you His most perfect creations. He told us to bow down before you and love you greater than we loved Him. Lucifer was irate. He couldn't believe that Father was choosing humans over his own children. He refused to bow. Refused to love you.” He paused, sadness and pain clear on his face.

“That’s when Father cast him from Heaven. When he fell to Earth. He decided to corrupt man, to prove a point. He convinced Gadreel to let him into Eden, where he defiled the first woman’s soul. Lilith. She became his first demon. Then he was cast into Hell and locked away with Michael. Yet everyone forgot the most vital part of everything that happened, even Father. Lucifer had the mark of Darkness…”

Sam looks at Cas, trying to comprehend. “It corrupted him. It took his love and dedication and used it against him. Is that what you're saying?”

“Yes. Before the Darkness he would have protested, but eventually relented to please Father. But th-“

“You've got to be fucking kidding me.” We all turn to Dean who seems to be increasingly upset. “You think that some mark made a difference?! Bullshit, Cas. He's evil, plain and simple.”

“But he _wasn't_ , Dean. He was quite the opposite. Father put a burden on him that corrupted and changed him. In all honesty, it’s our Father’s fault that it even happened.”

**_Somewhere well warded and hidden…_ **

_Lucifer sits alone against the wall. At least this place is dry and quiet. No screaming souls here._

_Lucifer sits alone, body hurting from suppressing his power. At least he was able to recover his vessel._

_Lucifer sits alone, wishing for nothing more than to have her embrace him once more._

_Lucifer sits alone, but not for long. There are brothers coming to drag him to Heaven. There are sisters waiting to tear his wings from his body._

_There are brothers unwittingly preparing to help him…_


	4. Safe and Sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big showdown. Lots of feels. I'm sorry in advance.

_**Chapter Four: Safe and Sound** _

_She is with the Winchesters. He needs to get to her before his siblings try to hurt her again. I’ll murder them. Rip them apart piece by piece. Even if it takes me a millennia. He needs to find her and keep her safe. I have to protect her. Even if I die doing it. He needs to prove himself. To show his Father that he can obey His orders. I have to make Father see. I can love His humans more than Him… Even if it's only one of them_.

I sit on the front porch of the safe house. Watching. Waiting. _For what?_ For Lucifer? Or for my own demise? The brothers said that I'll be safe here. That the angels shouldn't be able to find me, but if they do I'll be protected. Castiel sits with me outside, angel repelling sigils and wards throughout the little house.

“My brother. He loves you.” Does he always sounds so sad?

"I've been thinking about that. Why would he? He barely knows me. He's- “

“An angel. When he was in your dreams and thoughts, he was privy to everything about you. He saw your soul. That's a powerful thing.”

"I’m still a human. He hates us, remember. He set out to ruin us so that he could prove-”

“No.” It’s firm and final. Castiel stands and looks down at me. “It was the Darkness that corrupted him. You, your soul, has brought back the Light. You can't hide from this, you can't fight this. It's the truth. You will be his redeemer.”

“Pfft. Yeah right, feather boy. I don’t think that's how this works.” At least I don’t _think_ it is..

“That’s exactly how this works. His original disobedience was not loving humans. If he can overcome that…” He trailed off, staring out over the wide river near the house. “Get inside.”

“What? Wh-” “Get inside. Now!”

I scramble to my feet and rush inside. As I look out the window, angels start appearing from the woods surrounding the place. Ten, fifteen, more… They’re all here to either kill me or use me as bait.

I can see Castiel speaking, but I can’t hear what’s being said. The other angels are getting upset. A few pull out blades. Cas pulls out his own and stands ready to fight. Sam and Dean are at the other window watching their friend stand up to his siblings. Outside, Cas holds his ground.

Three of his brothers lunge at him and the fight begins. As they lunge at one another, he backs up a few steps. One throws his blade, aiming for Cas's heart. Cas manages to dodge just enough and the blade grazes his shoulder instead. Dean runs out to help Cas. Sam runs after Dean. I can’t just sit here. I can’t let them fight my fight.

I run out after them. I find a discarded angel blade on the ground and grab it. I jump on the back of the closest unrecognizable face, trying to stab them, but I’m thrown to the ground. The air leaves my lungs and two sets of hands grab at me. I'm on my knees in front of one I recognize as Esper.

“Don’t fight and we won't kill you.”

 _Don't fight? Fine._ I spit at him. His right hand lands a harsh smack across my face. I feel blood well up in my mouth. I spit again. A smack across the other side sends me to the ground.

“Don’t be stupid, girl.” I’ve never followed advise a day in my life, and I wasn’t starting now. I try to stand, but one of his sisters grabs the back of my neck and squeezes. If she grips any tighter, my neck will surely snap. But still, I fight. I'm struck again, this time from behind. Everything blurs and I can feel the blood running down my neck. I look up at her, and I laugh.

"Fuck you, feather bitch.” She brings the hilt of her blade across the back of my skull. I'm grabbed again, but this time it’s Cas pulling me away from his sister. I feel my arm being pulled out of place. He shoves me back towards the door. As I look back I see him, covered in cuts, a shimmering light coming from them. Sam and Dean are still fighting off angels, bloodied and bruised, barely standing. I run back inside and collapse by the door. Struggling to pull myself up, I make it back to the window. I drift in and out of consciousness.

I sit alone under the window covering my ears, trying to drown out the sounds.

I sit alone against the wall, wishing it would end.

I sit alone behind the curtains, and fire erupts from the yard.

 _What’s going on?_ I stand and stumble to the door. Outside the angels are all huddled together in the middle of a flaming circle. I go to the porch and the heat is almost overwhelming. Cas, Sam, and Dean stand just outside the circle. It was a trap.

“Pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself…”

I jump at the sudden presence next to me. As I look to my right, an arm wraps around my shoulders.

“Holy oil. Set it on fire and they can’t escape. My little brother and his boyfriend are a pretty good team. Though I’m sure this was Sammy's idea. No matter though, whatever their plan was, I’m about to end this.” He looks down at me. “C’mon sweetheart, I’ve warned you about catching flies.”

He closes my mouth and leans in, placing a quick peck on my lips. _Oh… ok_ … He kisses the top of my head and saunters down the steps, arrogance radiating around him. At least, I think it’s arrogance. His brothers and sisters in the circle jeer and berate him with hateful words.

“Aww, c’mon guys! Is that anyway to greet your big brother?!” He holds his arms out to Cas. “Cassie. Little brother. C'mere.” Cas looks at him, unsure, but embraces him anyway.

"I hope this works for you, brother. Don’t waste this chance.” Lucifer let’s his brother go, and turns to face his other siblings. He looks over them, wrestling with his choices.

“I don’t want to kill you. Not all of you. Truly I don’t. I don’t care that you want to kill me. I’d fight all of you, and win easily. However…”

He straightens to his full height. The trapped angels all gasp and try to put as much distance between him and them as they could. I’m not sure what he's doing, but they’re scared. _Good._

" _You_. Hurt _her_ ,” he says, pointing to me. Looking back with glowing red eyes, he gives me a smile and a wink. “So… Now I have to kill you.” He stalks around the circle, eyeing each one. “But as I said, I don't want to kill all of you, so I'm going to be nice.” A mischievous, childlike grin creeps across his face as he claps his hands like a kid on Christmas.

"Here’s what we can do… One. I blow out this fire and you all try to attack me. You all die.” He shrugs. “Two. I blow out the fire and you try to escape. Then, only then, maybe a few of you survive and I don't feel quite as bad about murdering my siblings.” His arms stretch out in front of him, hands moving up and down. “Those are your choices. I'll give you a minute to weigh your options.”

He looks back to me once more. “You might wanna close your eyes, sweetheart. I'd hate for you to go blind before I get to give you a full tour of my place.” Another wink and smile.

“Time’s up, folks!” He cracks his knuckles and neck.

"Hope you're ready! Three…” They all look around at each other, trying to decide what the others are going to do.

“Twooooo…” They start to panic, fear evident on their faces.

“ _One_!” With a breath, the fire is extinguished. Some duck, some run. A brave, or stupid, few rush at him. I cover my eyes, but I can feel the light. The screams are awful but almost enjoyable. Sheer terror and fear. _Good._

I keep my eyes covered. A hand rests on my shoulder and gives it a small squeeze. A warmth passes through me and I'm no longer in pain. I look up into his blue eyes. They aren't sad or hurting. Conflicted, yes. But not sad. He pulls me up into his arms and holds me close to his chest. We stand there for a long while, just embracing one another. Eventually, he loosens his hold on me, taking a step back. He reaches out, holding my face in his hands. Leaning close, he places a small kiss at the corner of my mouth. When he pulls back his eyes are glowing red once more.

“You really should be scared of me.”

“I'm not.”

"I know.” His eyes change back to blue. There's a small tickle on my arm followed by an odd feeling. Like having a spider web that's as warm as a blanket draped over me. I can see the brothers and Castiel standing a few yards away. Dean looks disgusted, Sam perplexed. But Cas is smiling, despite all his terrible injuries.

“I think your brother is hurt. You need to help him.” Lucifer looks back at Cas, worried. He goes over to him, taps his forehead, and all his wounds heal. He reaches for Sam, hesitant.

“You mind, Sammy?” Sam shakes his head and steps towards him, allowing the fallen angel to heal him as well. He looks to Dean, waiting for permission.

"I really think I'd rather die again.”

"That hurts my feelings, Deano. But I get it. I did possess your brother and torment him and wait… He forgave me," he says, pointimg to Sam.

“No I didn't. I still don't like you. But I know that no matter what, everyone deserves another chance.”

“Ok. At least there’s that. Cassie, can I talk to you?” He looks to his brother. Cas nods and walks away from the other two. They start to speak, but I can no longer hear them. Dean looks at me, utterly aghast.

“You don't really care about him, do you?”

I weigh the question carefully. _Do I?_ Or is it pity?

“I don't know. I feel terrible for him. When he first came to me, I wanted nothing more than to punch him. But then he told me his story. I chose to believe it. I decided that I wanted to help him.”

“WHY? He's Satan. The Devil. He's evil incar-“ “Don't you dare! He was corrupted by his Father’s actions! If it weren't for that mark that was forced on him, it never would have happened!”

“And what about everything after that?! What about-“ “He was locked in a cage. How could he have done all these terrible things if he was locked away?!” I shake my head, “he couldn’t.”

I look towards Lucifer. He and Cas are by the edge of the river, speaking. He looks sad again. I want to go to him, hug him, but I keep my distance.

“ _What am I going to do about her?”_

_"I'm confused. What do you mean?”_

_"She’s a human, Cas.”_

_“And you love her.” Cas tilts his head, “Don’t you?”_

_"I… Have very strong, significant feelings, yes. I don't know if it's love. I haven't felt love in over fifteen millennia.”_

_“You do, brother. It's evident through your actions. You love her and that's a good thing. You can be pardoned. Father will forgive you. If we can ever find him.”_

_“So until then, she lives in fear for her life because of me? No. I don't think so. She is the only person who has shown me any kindness since Father created the hairless little monkeys. I told myself that Father’s last perfect creation was the Earth. I was wrong,” he trails off. “Her soul is.” He looks back to her. She’s arguing with Dean._

_“She’s defending you.”_

_“I know.”_

_“You love her.”_

_"I do.”_

I see them walking back towards us. Lucifer has his head down, hands in his pockets. _What happened?_ I reach out to him.

“Everything ok? I don't like you looking sad.”

“Well you've only seen me smile twice.”

"I know. And I like it. I want to see it more,” I say smiling up at him. What possesses me, ha!, I'm not sure, but I wrap my arms up around his neck. I pull him close and don't let go. I never want to let go. I want him to smile all the time, and if that means staying like this for eternity, I'll do it.

His arms snake around my waist and shoulders, holding tight. A hand wraps into my hair and gently pulls my head back, making me look up at him. He’s smiling. It reaches his eyes, crinkling the corners.

“I think I could get used to it.” He places his forehead against mine and I feel the warm spider webs again.

“I'm sorry- “ “Don't.”

“Please. Let me. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for disrupting so much of your life, for putting you in danger, for getting you hurt. I never meant for any of this to happen. I was just so _lonely_. I'm truly sorry, I am. I swore to my Father that I would never love humans more than Him. And I never will love humans. I'll never bow down to them as his perfect creations. But I can try for one.” I feel something warm and wet hit my cheek, but the tears aren't mine.

“I believed the Earth to be Father's last perfect creation. I couldn't have been more wrong. It's you. _Your soul_. You were so kind and compassionate to me, even knowing who I was. You made me feel cared for, and for that small moment I wasn’t alone. I'll never be able to thank you or repay you. But I can do one thing, and maybe I can finally redeem myself.” Before I know what's happening, he's on the ground kneeling in front of me.

“Forgive me. Please. I'm beg-“

“You don't have to do this.”

“Please. Just forgive me. I _need_ you to.” I look down at him. He's sad again. Hurting.

“Ok. Ok. Yes. I forgive you. You're forgiven. Please, just stand up. Please. I forgive you.” I pull him up into another hug.

“Thank you.” It's barely a whisper.

"I want to go home now. Can we go home?”

“Of course.” He holds on to me a little too tightly. “Close your eyes.” I do as I'm told. The spider webs return and I feel a strange sensation throughout my body.

"We're here. You're home.” He lets me go and steps away. “Thank you again,” he says, turning to leave.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” _Would_ _you like to stay forever?_

“I don't actually need food, but yeah. Dinner sounds great. Can I help?” I'm already heading to the door. I look back at him, waiting.

"You can carry all the groceries back from the store! C’mon, it's getting dark!” He runs out after me, falling into a slow pace at my side. I reach out for his hand, linking our fingers.

“I could get used to this. Might take some time though, seeing how you're the Devil and all."

“I've got eternity. Take as long as you need.”

_**That night in a small apartment in Seattle…** _

We sit alone on the couch, plates littering the coffee table. An old movie plays silently in the background, throwing shadows.

We sit alone as the rain hits the windows, wrapped in a blanket. He tells me stories of his mischievous siblings.

We sit alone, him holding me too tightly, like he's afraid I’ll disappear. I rest my head on his shoulder and listen to the sound of his laugh.

_Lucifer sits alone, imagining how he could be happy. Wondering why he was such a fool._

_Lucifer sits alone, praying that he wouldn’t destroy this poor woman’s life._

_Lucifer sits alone, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for the inevitable day when she would make him leave._

_Lucifer sits alone, but not for long. She returns to him, arms warm and full of hope and kindness._

He pulls me back into his arms, burying his face in my neck. “That tickles!” I wiggle away, but he refuses to let me go.

“Please don't leave me alone again.”

“I was gone for two minutes. I went to the kitchen. You could _see_ me.”

“No. I mean… never. Don't make me leave. Don't leave me. Please.”

“Lucifer Morningstar, I don't plan on making you leave. Ever.” I kiss him, soft and true. I kiss him, full of promise. And he kisses me...

_They lay alone, wrapped in each other's arms, legs tangled. The floor shouldn't be this comfortable, but right now it's perfect._

_They lay alone, listening to the storm outside._

_They lay alone, and he no longer has to reach out._

_Because for once, he’s not alone._


End file.
